Star Trek Enterprise: Before 'The Expanse'
by G.W.Ryan
Summary: A Starfleet Captain Returns Home To Florida, Just Hours Before The Xindi Attack On Earth.


_**Star Trek: Enterprise**_  
><em><strong>Before "The Expanse"<strong>_

**_April 2153.  
><em>_Planet Earth._**

Spring in Florida was a beautiful time, shuttle pods and atmospheric hoppers silently and majestically drifted threw the skies to their various destinations. The waves crashed against the shores as slowly threw the clear skies the final shuttle pod of the morning landed on the pad, for the first time in over one year he finally stepped onto the soil of his small home town. As was as if he was stepping back in time, the town had not changed for decades yet every time he stepped off the spacecraft it was a heroes welcome for the commanding officer of the small scientific research vessel that had explored the reaches of the Sol System and beyond. Yet with the launch of the warp five NX Class Enterprise his mission had become one of boarder patrols and diplomatic services between local alliances in the region of Earth and older Starfleet Vessels.  
>With a smile from proud parents and family alike the young Captain picked up his bags and walked towards them as their arms opened wide he smiled as for the first time in over a year he hugged his aging mother.<p>

"It's good too have you home George…"  
>"Thanks, it's good to be back home"<br>"How long are you staying?" She said excitedly.  
>"The ship is in for an upgrade too… well, I can't say. But I should be able too squeeze in a week, maybe two tops"<p>

A large smile came over her as she stepped back so his father could great his son on a triumphant return. Slowly he stepped forward with a stern look on his eye that made him shiver down his spine until his face changed and with an old military style he saluted his son.

"I take those pointed eared idiots out their didn't give you any problems Gorgy-Boy?"  
>"No sir. No sign of a Vulcan anyplace… I guess they're off chasing Enterprise now. They've lost interest in the common working man"<p>

His father laughed as he pulled him hard for a hug, yet neither man would let go as the hug continued while they both applied equal pressure in some twisted competition too see who would give up first.

"All right, you've made your point George… Let go" He gasped.

Quickly the Starfleet Captain let his father go while they both laughed. After greeting the rest of his family and friends they finally found their way into the large family home on the outskirts of the town, celebrations rang threw the large home as he entertained them with his stories of his travels and encounters with other Starfleet and Alien vessels.

"… So we picked up this… thing on long range sensors, I mean it was going some speed. Now it wasn't Vulcans, they don't usually scream past us, they actually avoid us… after all what good is an old Starfleet vessel when they can annoy Enterprise and her crew?"

Hearing similar stories from other Starfleet Officers they all called out in unison. '_NONE_'

"So what was is it Uncle George? An alien?"

Listening with interest a six year old child asked quickly.

"No… finally our sensors where able to lock on too the vessel. It was screaming threw space at warp 4.5... We'd never seen anything like it… So once we saw this object… actually I can show you"

Quickly he pulled out a Padd from his pocket and activated the screen on the wall in the middle of the room and sensor data appeared as a vessel quickly began too appear, the young child quickly ran towards the screen as he jumped up and down as yelling.

"Enterprise, Enterprise…It's Enterprise"  
>"Exactly. We got a call from Archer, he said we where the first faces he'd seen in a few weeks. We pulled along side and tried too keep up as much as we could but he just smiled as they disappeared off sensors"<br>"Wow! Uncle George you actually spoke too him? What's he like?"  
>"Shorter then I thought. You know what annoyed me the most?"<p>

With a wink too his family he knelt down too the child and spoke softly.

"I was fourth in line too take command of that ship, but I couldn't leave my crew with out a Captain, could I?"  
>"No sir!"<p>

The family laughed as he looked up at them, almost the instant he stood a brilliant orange glow past by the house as explosions rocked the large home, earthquakes rocked the home as the glow past on into the distance and out to sea as buildings, people and oceans became instantly vaporised in by the huge energy blast that sliced threw the land and sea from orbit, quickly he grabbed his communicator and ran out side as the family huddled in a corner begging him not too leave the safety of the home.  
>A large trough was sliced into the surface of the planet that cut threw his home town and disappeared into the distance towards Venezuela as the foul smell of burnt flesh filled the air around him.<p>

"Holly Shit"

Quickly he flipped open his communicator as a voice rang threw it's speakers.

"_REPORT!_" He yelled.  
>"Captain, a probe of unknown origin appeared above your location and fired on the surface"<br>"No shit, I got that… Where is the probe?"  
>"It self destructed before we could intercept. Captain we're getting over one thousand hails… and climbing"<br>"Well I can't use the shuttle, it's been destroyed… I'll head too Starfleet Command… I think dad still has an old atmospheric hopper… I'll contact you when I can"

Quickly he flipped the communicator closed and ran back into the home and spoke faster then few could understand, yet his father was already on his way out of the home too meet him, seeing the look on his eyes he froze for a moment, after his son had picked up his bags he led him out of the home towards the old atmospheric hopper.

"I'm going with you George"  
>"NO, your not…"<br>"I was in the military I can…."  
>"Dad, you're a Retired Non-Commissioned Naval Officer…"<p>

As he continued his sentence he reached into his bag and pulled out his service weapon, with a sadness in his eyes he placed the Phase-Pistol into his fathers hands and gave him a brief instruction on how to use the new weapon safely.

"… If anyone or anything… you know, use this. Safety on, safety off. It's set for stun force. Shoot anyone, then contact local security forces, here is my I.D… You know the rest"  
>"Of course… Be careful George… We don't know what the hell is going on out there"<br>"I'll call you when I can"

With a nod too his father he entered the Hopper and activated the antique craft and flew into the burning skies towards San Francisco and Starfleet Command.  
>Command was a rush of activity as officers, Non-Commissioned and civilians alike rushed about there duties with fear and dead intent as anger swelled with in each of them, who would attack the peace loving Earth and why? As he entered the large office he past several Starfleet personnel crying as they looked over the many reports coming into command, yet his eyes where burning with the need to pay revenge on who ever had attacked his world and almost killed his family.<p>

"Admiral Forrest, My ship stands by ready too assist with injuries if needed"  
>"Thank you Captain… I'm sure we'll need it. Come with me…"<p>

Quickly he was led towards a large display as the image of a tiny Sphere was played out in front of him.

"Have you seen this before? Or anything like it?"  
>"No sir… Who would do this?"<br>"I don't know… But I intend too find out…"

Quickly his attention was diverted by the voice of an officer behind him.

"Admiral, I have Captain Archer on Subspace"  
>"Excellent, come with me Captain"<p>

Almost at a run they quickly made their way towards the console where the Captain of Starfleet's finest vessel was awaiting their call.

"Captain sorry this isn't a social call, I'm turning you around John"  
>"What?" Replied Archer. "Those damned Vulcans…"<br>"John… It's not what you think"  
>"Really, then what, more red tape?"<p>

Quickly the young Captain at the side of the experienced Admiral jumped in the conversation too the shock and annoyance of the Admiral and Captain on screen.

"John, Earth has been attacked…"  
>"What?" He replied in shock.<br>"A small probe of alien origin appeared over Earth's orbit and fired some form of powerful energy beam at Florida…"  
>"Ohh my god…" He said slowly.<p>

As Enterprise warped back too Earth as fast as it's engines would push her threw space, the death toll from the cowardly attack began too rise to over 7 Million including the sister of the Enterprise's Chief Engineer Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III. Upon entering the Sol System, the Enterprise is ambushed by a Klingon vessel a vessel that was quickly turned away by a small human fleet, after a fast upgrade to Enterprise she was launched with both Starfleet and M.A.C.O officers in an attempt to locate those responsible for the unprovoked attack on Earth.

Story By  
>GW Ryan.<p> 


End file.
